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Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Olive Pitting

I am truly blessed to be here in Como. I realize that more and more everyday. Today we walked by the Lake and were able to enjoy looking at the beautiful fall leaves that are almost all gone. The lake water was choppy and the wind was blowing my hair but in this moment I realized how blessed I am to be here serving in this great city with these great people here.

We picked some leaves and I got them lamenated so they won't change colors. I am trying each day to recognize the beauty of como the little things that I have just gotten used to seeing everyday. Riding the bus to church and being able to see the beautiful city as we go to church. There are so many things I am blessed with. I am truly grateful for the church.

This week we did some casa and were having no success. Then a man was walking by and started to talk to him about how we have a message that can bless his family. In that moment he told us that his son had passed away the day before. Sorella Stephens and I both bore powerful testimonies of the plan of salvation. He had to go be with his family but we gave him a plan of salvation pamphlet that we hope he will read to provide him comfort. The gospel is so important! I realize this more than I ever did before. There are so many challenges that we all face in this life but the gospel provides us with comfort and peace during those trials. I am blessed..veramente.

We had a lesson with one ofour investigators this week and had a member come. It was interesting because both were going to cancel but for some reason they didnt. It was amazing too because they had soo many things in common almost as if they were the same person. The lesson was filled with the spirit. Our investigator had to pick up the phone so I asked our member is she could bare her testimony how the gospel has blessed her family. She told me this year has been so hard for our family and almost began to cry. She bore powerful testimony of how the gospel has blessed her and her family. It made me realize how important this mesage is for me and my family. I have seen how the gospel has blessed my family and how it continues to bless our family. I am blessed.

We have a new investigator who is so sweet! She is from Bolivia and is here by herself. She came to a relief society activity and serata famigliare (family home evening). Our members from Peru are great and just helping her to feel important and so loved.

Serata Famigliare was a hit this week! The most people we have had since I have been here in como. We had both members and investigators there. It was a great turnout. I am very grateful for our sweet ward members and their testimonies. So many of them are converts to the church and they bring such a poweful spirit when they bare their testimonies. I am blessed to work with these members.

We were able to do service this week! Yay! ha We thought we would be helping to clean this woman's home but instead we were pitting olives..ha Which we took out hundreds of seeds out of olives. The good things was we had gloves so our hands didn't get stained and also we smelt like olive oil after. Never did I think I would have to take out the seeds of olives, let alone while I was in Italy. hah! It was very relaxing. Luckily we didnt have to de-seed all of them because we had another appointment after! phew! there were hundreds of olives. I was blessed to only de-seed a portion of the olives..hah very blessed. It was a lot trickier than I thought it would be!

I hope that this week you all can try and look for the blessing in your life no matter how big or small they may be. We all have things and reasons to be grateful for. Although the leaves are almost gone I know that I will be blessed for whatever wintertime will hold for me. I love you all and hope you will look for the blessings and enjoy halloween this week. (I guess some Italians celebrate halloween here! who knew?)

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

-Matthew 11:28-30

"Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come."